Le Tissier Designs

Of Larks and Linnets and Flying Fingers

Tag: thrumming

  • Latest Knitting Inspirations: From Puff Vests to Chintz Haps

    Latest Knitting Inspirations: From Puff Vests to Chintz Haps

    My last few posts have all focused around the the Make-A-Blanket project. Getting the first couple of squares up and available, using them to describe some of the possibilities for blanket construction, setting up the start of the design process for all the knitters involved.

    Hopefully getting everyone, including myself thinking forward to what they/I want to do with our squares. At the same time as all that it going on …The rest of life keeps on happening!

    Now I am focusing on the Winter/Spring Class session. Also my designing. I haven’t felt much like lace knitting lately but I think that is changing. I have a couple of big projects to finish! My Lace Dress and the GreenMan Shawl still need to be finished. Those are going to be done this year!

    Projects for the classes at Mad About Ewe are all under construction or ready for the class.

    Current projects for the classes, the Twinned Mittens and Socks on Circs are class ready, but not completed yet. That will happen during and after the classes.

    I did a swatch to display for the Puffy Vest, and I am currently knitting the first piece. I am really pleased with the way it is knitting up. Right now it looks like a cozy cowl! The thrums make it so bright and colourful!

    You can see the swatch for the puffy vest, the Twinned Knit Mitten sample and Socks on Circs at Mad About Ewe, hanging up behind the counter if you want to check things out! All of the classes are up on the website as well!

    And there are always future projects!

    Like the Chintz Hap I have started knitting.

    Last fall I went to the Chintz exhibit at the RBCM and it inspired me in so many ways! The history, the colours and the shapes of some of the motifs really made my sit up and take notice. I want to take those shapes and colours and knit them into one of my favourite shawl shapes – the Shetland Hap! I am working on the center square right now. I am loving the center so far and once the border and edging are complete… In my head it is gorgeous!

    I am working with B.C.Garn Loch Lomond Lace! The colours are perfect for this. I may need to add that warm creamy tone, but that is still under consideration.

    So life is busy at work, and in my designing and it looks like things are about to get busy around the house as well!

    We downsized last year and have been waiting to get the kitchen and few areas around our new home renovated. And it is all about to start! And with my yarn room! Can I say that I am somewhat excited!

    The yarn room won’t be big once finished, around 7.5 by 7.5 square feet! But it will be all mine! With shelves and storage and even room for my Grandson to come and visit.

    I have it all planned out! The Daybed is for my grandson to sleep on, with a light and small bookcase for his books it will be perfect for me to block my knitting on. It is also right by the window so I can check my yarn colours under the natural light!

    One of my resolutions for this year was to be more forward thinking about my classes. So I am already thinking ahead to the Summer Classes. Something light and fun and under the sun in the courtyard. Maybe some beaded fingerless mitts in a really hot colour! What do you think?

    Or maybe a light and airy lace scarf in something silky? Any suggestions?

    Do you plan your knitting for the year ahead or are you a knit by the moment and yarn you discover?

    In the meantime I certainly don’t lack for stuff to do! LOL!

    I bet that you have lots of knitting options to as well!

    Happy Knitting

    Lynette

  • Squared Off

    Squared Off

    A square is a pretty simple shape, but it hold so many possibilities. For a knitter a square is often a nuisance, an “I told you so!” and “…really, do I have too!”

    And yes “Really you do! Or should!”

    I swatch a lot. As a designer it is really important to understand the yarn chosen, what it can and cannot do and make sure before you start that the results will be as expected. So I swatch. And I make a lot of squares to find the perfect yarn for the project in my head.

    Sometimes my swatches are not square – they are round! They are hats! Loads and loads of hats! Elizabeth Zimmermann often swatched a hat to test out a circular gauge. Someone always needs a hat! But most of my swatches are square.

    This morning I finished another swatch. This one isn’t just square. This one has dimensions, this one has “POUF!” It is a Poufy swatch for a Poufy Vest. A new Spring Class that I am developing! While knitting this swatch and thinking about the class I came up with a couple of ideas for using this particular swatch. So I have created a little pattern to go with my list of uses!

    The Gallery below might help with your process as you try one of these squares out!

    Squaring AroundDownload

    I hope that you give this a try. It has been fun and wait till you see what this is a swatch for!

    Happy Knitting

    Lynette

    These are the East Coast Mittens – don’t they look like fun. Click on the photo below for the Ravelry link.

  • East Coast – Twillingate Thrummed Headband

    East Coast – Twillingate Thrummed Headband

    I don’t like to wear hats. It takes a really cold day before I plop a hat on my head. I don’t like the look of myself in a hat. Very few have suited me.

    But I like cold ears even less.

    So, I finished up the Thrummed Headband for myself. I now consider myself officially ready for Fall and Winter. I have a new sweater… and a hat. Maybe I should make some fingerless mittens in the same colours as the headband? A light grey pair, with multicoloured dots. Ok, almost ready for Winter!

    If you want to knit a Thrummed Headband for yourself click here.

    The thrumming really intrigues me. It is easy to do and adds an extra layer of warmth. I am thinking that I may need to make myself a puffy vest, double layered with thrums in between. Would you wear something like that?

    Yesterday I also knit up a swatch from the Eco Scandinavian Chunky I bought myself last week (for another sweater). I want this sweater to be very colourful and in the Muhu style. This style is from Estonia and features a lot of natural patterns, birds, bees and animals in very bright, not so natural colours. The patterns will be much larger and definitely very visible.

    I love my swatch, but I think I need to add some green and maybe some black to make the other brights pop!

    Happy Knitting!

    Lynette

    PS – I am getting so excited! The GreenMan KAL starts next week! In between my other knitting I have been slowly working away at each section of the shawl. It is looking just as I imagined!

  • East Coast Thrumming

    East Coast Thrumming



    What is Thrumming?

    Thrumming was born in Newfoundland, off the east coast of Canada.  It is a technique for adding a layer of wool
    roving to create a very warm and almost totally wind and waterproof mitten.  Pieces of roving are knit in to
    individual stitches with the extra length of the roving remaining inside.  With wear, these rovings’ felt, creating the
    barrier needed to protect hands from the icy winds.

    It is really important to note that thrumming works best when knit with non-superwash wool and non-superwash sliver. The scale on the surface of both fibers work together to bond and keep the fibres from separating.

    Thrumming in action

    Thrumming can be used for items other than mittens as well. Hat, slippers or a headband (which I am currently designing). And I am thinking of designing a vest. A double sided, thrummed vest would be perfect for our climate.

    Happy Thrumming

    Lynette

  • What’s Now? What’s Next?

    What’s Now? What’s Next?

    Tomorrow we are going to Surrey (across the big water). The World Men’s Fastball Championships are there. So we are going for a day of ball! I am going to be knitting as well as watching and there is nothing like Ferry travel to enhance one’s knitting time!

    I will be taking a half knit sweater for myself. I started it a couple of years ago with some beautiful Italian Wool from Gathering Yarns. Just a basic top-down v-neck and since the yarn was limited I had to get creative with the colours. Just some simple striping but it is very effective with the slightly varigated colours.

    It is such a rich yarn, full of texture and the two colours are blending beautifully.

    Why wasn’t it finished a while ago? Well, one time when I tidied, the project went in one place and the yarn went in another. I would find one and never the other. So this time when I found the extra yarn I put in on my desk, after I had cleaned it up and had a clear surface! Remember that big clean up? Yesterday I stumbled across the project! A match! And it is so close, arms and maybe a third of a body and it is chunky!

    Looking for the next project? I seem to be in constant search lately. I have several projects on the go. My main focus is the Greenman Shawl and it is really taking over. I am already planning the next section. But I do need to look to my classes for work as well. What is your next project?

    I am working on the thrummed mittens to go with the headband. I do enjoy thrumming such a relaxing way of working in colour. And I love the wool I am using, Shelter, by Brooklyn Tweed.

    Look deep into my mitten. Doesn’t it look warm and cozy?

    And for something new I am going to try to finish off the sleeves of an old sweater. Knit with Mountain colours hand dyed Weavers Wool it is gorgeous. It is now slightly felted and starting to wear at the end of the sleeves. So I am going use an old English (or European Technique of finishing things that wear with leather. I found an absolutely stunning piece of leather from Gala Fabrics last time I was there. It is a glorious shade of blue and is perfect!

    Has anyone tried this technique? Any tips!?

    I hope that you are having a great day!

    Happy Knitting

    Lynette

  • Class Samples

    Class Samples

    I have finished two of the class samples. Still at least three more to go! I am happy with the results so far! They include a thrummed headband and a cabled pillbox style hat. I took the pictures in different lighting conditions, just to see how the colours would change.

    I have no name for the headband pattern, but the pillbox is going to be called Candy Cables – just something about the colour. The white base with the glowing peach mohair looks like candy to me. Check out the mohair halo – so pretty!

    I hope that you have a great day!

    Happy Viewing!

    Lynette

  • Fall Classes – Working on Samples and Dreaming up Ideas!

    Fall Classes – Working on Samples and Dreaming up Ideas!

    First up – Thrumming

    Have you ever made thrummed mittens? Or slippers? Well I am working on a Thrummed Headband. It has an easy shape and will be easy to learn the technique so that you could make mittens or slippers if you wished!

    2) Cables

    A simple cable hat?

    Or maybe a not so simple cable hat?

    How about a reversible cable scarf? As you can see this idea is still in the very early stages!

    3) Maybe something more long term, with once a month meeting/classes.

    I am planning a Knit-a-Long. KAL for short. The Green Man KAL. This will be a lace shawl for the more advanced knitter. It could be knit in a fingering or lace weight yarn, knitters choice and there will be how to video’s attached for those who don’t live in the area and in person classes for those who do. Techniques we will cover include circular cast-ons, adding beads (if desired), three dimensional embellishing, some interesting lace techniques and finishing with knitted on edging. Sample below is knit with Schoppell Zauber Lace 100. Right now I am working on the chart for the the Green Man and will share updates as that comes together.

    4) Of course I will run the Fear of Finishing Workshop – an in depth look at some basic and not so basic finishing techniques. Including the best start to create the best finishes and things the pattern always forget to tell you.

    5) I am thinking of a designing a new tea cozy this fall. Something with birds I think!

    6) A class on mending is in the works as well! Darning socks, fixing holes with some creative mends and swiss darning the old fashioned way!

    I am also looking for new ideas. What do you want to learn? Can I teach it in a class or does it need a workshop? I could teach something in Mosaic Stitch, or maybe Twinned Knitting? Some simple fair-isle mittens or cowl for gifts?

    What style of project would you like to see? A simple shape to show up the new technique, a pillow perhaps, maybe bolster style with knitted on fringe for finishing. Or a new hat, a pillbox or cloche style, something a little different from your basic beanie.

    I am off to dream up and then knit up some new samples. I hope that you have a dreamy week as well!

    Be Well and Happy Knitting

    Lynette